


Earthbound

by Mythichistorian



Category: Battlestar Galactica (1978), Tales of the Gold Monkey
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-02
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-06 01:52:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8730004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mythichistorian/pseuds/Mythichistorian
Summary: A momentary interlude on a quiet dock, somewhere in the Pacific, 1938





	

The man who hurried along the dock was a sturdy, well-built individual, dressed in a pair of oily white overalls and wearing a peaked cap jammed down over his amenable face. A small dog trotted at his heels, distinguished from the average mutt by the jaunty patch it wore over one eye. As he went the man cast nervous glances in all directions; even so, he was startled when a hand snaked out from behind a pile of crates and, seizing him by the shoulder, dragged him out of sight.

“What the ...?” the flustered victim began, then relaxed, recognising his abductor. “Oh, it’s you. Where have you been?”

The man behind the crates was fair haired, tall and slight beside the man in the overalls. Blue eyes twinkled out of a suntanned face as he pulled a cigar from his jacket pocket and studied it in the Pacific sunlight.

“I was … delayed.” He grinned as he said it, adding to the impression of understatement. “Ran into a little trouble after I got shot down. You know the kind of thing.”

“Yah.” His companion peered cautiously around, making sure they were not observed. “Well, if you don’t hurry, you’re gonna miss your connecting flight.”

The dog barked twice – an agreement – and a blond head stared at him in puzzlement.

“He with you?” the man enquired.

“Comes with the territory. Here . That’s your ticket for the Clipper, and this is a hundred dollars. It ought to last you until you reach the base in the Caribbean. Someone will pick you up there.”

“Thanks.” He pocketed the proffered money, lit his cigar. “Any trouble to report?”

The face under the cap found a thoughtful smile.

“Nope,” its owner announced. “Everything is smooth as silk – if you don’t count the usual round of European spies and Japanese trouble-makers.”

The traveler laughed.

“They don’t know when they’re well off, do they? If they knew what we did to keep real trouble off their doorstep … Hades, I got to go. Thanks for everything. No regrets?”

Overalled shoulders shrugged. “Just doing my job. But it’s okay; I like it here. And I’ve made a few friends. I don’t like deceiving them, but … well, I manage the best I can. I miss some things thought.”

“Don’t we all?”

Footsteps sounded along the dock, and another voice intruded on their quiet corner. 

“Corky? Jack? Where are you?”

The broad-shouldered man sighed.

“Coming, Jake!” he called. He thrust a brawny hand in his companion’s direction. Take care, Lieutenant. We need warriors like you out there.”

“Sure. Just like we need agents like you down here. Keeping an eye on things. You take care. Without guys like you our job would be twice as hard. I’ll see you around.”

His figure slipped away among the crates, and the man and the dog watched him go.

“Corky!”

“Coming!” He looked down at the dog at his feet, who was looking at him accusingly.

“I’ll tell him one day,” he said, defensively. “You know I will. Just – look, the lieutenant and I go back a long way, okay? He was in trouble, and it’s part of my job to look after guys like him …”

The dog considered it. Barked twice and pattered away in the direction of his master’s voice.

Corporal Komma, warrior in the Colonial service, ex-comp-tech on the Battlestar _Galactica_ and now agent of the Covert Defence Forces of Earth, wiped oily hands down the front of his mechanic’s overalls, sighed, and followed him.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in 'Cutter's Goose 2' (May 1987)
> 
> The actor Jeff MacKay, among many of his character roles, played both Corporal Komma in the original _Battlestar Galactica_ and Jake Cutter's faithful sidekick (and mechanic) in _Tales of the Gold Monkey_. As a fan of both series, my writing this short tale was probably inevitable ...


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